Up 30 in a year. Impressive.
Diet is more important than your choice of activity whether your goals are to lose fat or bulk up.
Don't overdo the cardio if you want to keep the weight off. You need to build muscle that will continually burn the fat. Cardio can help you "sweat off" the pounds but you won't gain much muscle that plays a big role in keeping the fat off.
If you're serious about lifting, a good starter program is called "Starting Strength."
The Workouts Recommended for Strength Training | Starting strength training